1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method for driving a solid-state imaging device which comprises a photoelectric conversion section made up by arranging two-dimensionally a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a horizontal transfer section and a line memory interposed between the vertical transfer sections and the horizontal transfer section.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a solid-state imaging device adopted in an apparatus such as a digital camera, in order to detect an image of a subject at each of two-dimensional image pixels, a large number of photoelectric conversion elements (generally, photodiodes) are disposed in positions of respective intersection points or positions of spaces in a square lattice pattern in a row direction and a column direction so as to be arranged into a two-dimensional arrangement. In addition, in order to sense a color image, in general, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which are associated with respective colors of R, G, B are arranged two-dimensionally on a regular basis according to a specific arrangement pattern such as a Bayer arrangement.
In general, signals which are read out of respective photoelectric conversion elements of the solid-state imaging device are transferred sequentially in the column direction (the vertical direction) via vertical charge transfer sections (VCCDs) and are, thereafter, transferred in the row direction (the horizontal direction) via a horizontal charge transfer section (HCCD), whereby signal charges of the photoelectric conversion elements aligned in the horizontal direction are processed sequentially line by line. In addition, a line memory for holding signals of all the pixels of one horizontal line is interposed between the vertical charge transfer sections and the horizontal charge transfer section. Then, signal charges output from the vertical charge transfer sections are temporarily stored in the line memory, and after having been transferred from the line memory to the horizontal charge transfer section, the signal charges are transferred in the horizontal direction over the horizontal charge transfer section. JP 2002-112122 A (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 7,187,411) and JP 2002-185870 A relates to the solid-state imaging device configured as has been described above.
When attempting to drive the solid-state imaging device configured as has been described above, after signal charges read out of the respective photoelectric conversion elements have been transferred to the vertical charge transfer sections (VCCDs). The signal charges are transferred in a vertical direction on the vertical charge transfer sections. The signal charges are passed over to the line memory from outputs of the vertical charge transfer sections. Thereafter, the signal charges on the line memory are transferred to the horizontal charge transfer section (HCCD). Furthermore, the signal charges are transferred sequentially pixel by pixel in the horizontal direction over the horizontal charge transfer section.